Learning to Breathe
by akina nakamori
Summary: Edited. AU FIC! A voice muted by a dark past. A heart shattered by death. Both are dreamers of music. Can they find out what they have been looking for in each other's arms? ToFu.
1. Flexibility

Summary: Tokiya, Recca, Domon and Kaoru are part of Mystcase, a most promising all-boys rock band, wants to recruit a girl as their lead vocalist to expand the band's possibilities of making it big in the music industry. After many rejections and ear-splitting arias, a peculiar but pleasant schoolmate named Fuuko comes up and takes the stage. Can they make it all together to the top?

Genre: Romance, Humor and Drama.

Pairings: Fuuko x Tokiya and Recca x Yanagi (more on ToFu)

**Note: **This story in on the proofread stage so please bear with me. Thank you.

**Flexibility**

"No,"

"Aw, come on!" Frustrated, Recca slammed his palm down on the bed. How the hell can he be so inconsiderate?

He even prepared a fifteen-minute speech about the benefits his idea could have for the band. It was pretty good, if he said so himself.

"Do you even know the chances of making it big in the music industry with a girl in the band? The possibilities we have of making different genres of music are endless!"

"For your information, Hanabishi," Tokiya replied, straightening from his black leather plush seat. "We can still attain those 'possibilities' without a girl in the band. Did you really think you can sway me with that speech of yours? Nice try, monkey."

 A frown crossed Recca's lips. "No, I knew I couldn't when I started looking for synonyms in MS Word." He heaved a sigh and collapsed on the bed. "That's why," He slowly slipped his hand inside his back pocket. "I had to change my tactics. Like this,"

 Pinched between his thumb and his index finger was a snapshot of a cute little toddler bearing silver locks. His little fingers formed a peace sign as he smiled innocently before the camera proudly clad in a baby blue Boy Scout uniform.

"Where the hell did you get that," Tokiya slowly stood from his chair, his eyes sending daggers at the smirking boy bearing the photograph. His statement was not an inquiry, but more of a demand for the answer.

Ooh, he's in for it now.

Recca showed no sign of being intimidated. He flipped the picture around so that it faced him. "I wonder what the girls are going to think when they see this picture all around school. They're probably going to break into your house and search for more of these ADORABLE I'm-a-good-boy snapshots of you!"

Silver hair gleamed in the sunlight as Tokiya slowly made his way across the room toward the laughing teenager. "Don't even dare to—"

"—and what if the boys see this at school? They're probably going to laugh their heads off! The cold-hearted ice block was actually a former member of the 'Hearts for the Bunnies Club'!" Recca rolled on the soft white covers of Tokiya's bed, filling the room with boisterous laughter.

Tokiya couldn't help but blush at the statement. So what if he liked white fluffy bunnies before? They were so cute and adorable and—

"Give that back. NOW." He demanded, his voice dripping with malice. His hand reached out for the picture in Recca's grasp, only to be suppressed by a foot making contact with his chest.

"Only in one condition," Recca managed to say between his chuckles.

"What!" Tokiya yelled. His patience was being tested to his last hair. So far, Recca was starting to burn the last millimeter of it.

"You have to swear to me that you agree with my idea of having a girl in the band," The picture-bearer replied threateningly.

"Okay, fine. I swear. Now, give me that—"                   

"And," Recca interrupted. "You have to help us evaluate each girl, too…HONESTLY."

"Fine."

"Well, since that's settled, here ya go, fridge boy!" He tossed the picture at the fuming band mate. Jumping out of the bed, he made his way out the door.

"Oh, and if you break our deal, you are so dead!" Recca hollered as he walked down the staircase. "We start tomorrow! Bye!"

"Damn him," Tokiya mumbled, putting the snapshot inside his bedside drawer and shutting it closed. A sigh escaped his lips.

He was going to need an arsenal of Tylenol for tomorrow.

**Notes:** Aww, poor Tokiya. Getting dragged into more stupid things by the minute, hahaha.


	2. Rocking Silence

**Author's Notes: **What else is there to say? Enjoy. J

**Rocking Silence**

Fuuko was found in the classroom on her usual seat near the window, her eyes focused on the textbook before her.

"Fuu-chan, I wanna show you something!" said a flushed schoolgirl named Sakoshita Yanagi.

Yanagi had broken into a run the moment she read the notice on the bulletin board. Upon reading what the notice had said, she thought Fuuko had to see it. Fast.

"What is it, Yanagi-chan?" Fuuko calmly replied, trying to hide the irritation growing within her. Yanagi didn't have the right to be aggravated at. It wasn't her fault that the Calculus test totally slipped Fuuko's mind.

"I'm really sorry for bothering you, Fuu-chan," Yanagi answered, a trace of guilt in her tone. "But, I really think you should see this."

Fuuko looked up from her textbook. "Can I just check it out later? I have to study for the Calculus test. It's already the next period."

A milky-white hand drifted onto her shoulder. "Please, Fuuko. I really want you to see it,"

 Insistent hazel eyes met puzzled emerald ones.

"Fuuko."

She had addressed her as Fuuko. Not Fuu-chan, nor Kiri-chan.

"Fuuko."

A sigh escaped Fuuko's lips. Whatever it was, it was definitely something that Yanagi thought was serious.

"Okay, okay," The purple-haired maiden finally spoke, rising from her chair. "If it means that much to you."

Yanagi pulled her into a hearty embrace. "Oh, thank you!"

Slowly backing away from their hug, the delighted brunette gently took Fuuko's hand and lead her out of the classroom, into the hallway, and in front of the dreaded bulletin board.

Fuuko impassively skimmed through the fliers, posters, and notices tacked against the cork. What was so important to see?

"Do you see it?" Yanagi asked, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

"No, where is it?" Fuuko browsed the board again. She couldn't see anything that struck her in any way. Nothing, nada, zip.

Slightly disappointed, Yanagi tapped the piece of paper right in front of the oblivious browser. "Right here."

Fuuko read the notice.

_Wanted: Female Vocalist_

_Auditions will be held at the school auditorium after dismissal time._

_Duration is from 3-6 pm.  _

_If you think you got what it takes, just sign up at the sheet below!_

_See you there!_

_-Mystcase_

Fuuko gaped at the notice, her head tilting sideward. "Okay, what does it have to do with me?"

"Come on, don't pretend like you don't know," Yanagi answered, raising an eyebrow.

Mentally connecting the dots in her head, Fuuko's eyes widened with anxiety. "No, Yanagi. I will NOT sing."

"Why not?" Yanagi replied, a pang of sadness piercing her chest. It was worth a shot, right? It wouldn't hurt to try…

Right?

 Fuuko looked down, trying to avoid her best friend's upset countenance. "I just don't feel like auditioning. Besides, why would they pick someone like me anyway? There are a lot more others who can sing better than I can,".

"Come on, Fuuko. You can do it. I know you can," Yanagi tilted her best friend's chin upward so that their eyes made contact.  "This is your chance to show everyone how good you are in singing!"

"Yanagi, I don't want to show—"

 "Please? It wouldn't hurt to try. Please,"

And there they were…those sad hazel puppy-dog eyes. Why do they have to be so convincing? How the hell does she make those things persuade anybody?

Damn, she's good.

Fuuko heaved a sigh. "Okay, fine. I'll join."

"What…?"

"You heard me, silly," Fuuko answered, a feeble smile crossing her lips. "I'll join,"

"You will?" Yanagi's face started to glow once more. "Thank goodness!"

"Why?" Fuuko wondered. What was she so relieved for?

Yanagi shrugged, a sheepish grin plastered on her face.

"I already signed you up,"

"You what!"

"Well, you did say that you were going to join anyway, right?" Yanagi gave an anxious chuckle. "There was just one slot left and I just couldn't let it pass. I had to put you in there. I'm sorry."

"Yanagi…" Fuuko folded her arms over her chest.

"Do you hate me?" Yanagi asked, barely above a whisper.

Silence.

"You love me that much, don't you,"

Yanagi looked away, trying to hide the blush creeping up her face. "Well, yeah. You're my best friend and I just want what's best for you,"

Fuuko leaned over to kiss Yanagi's rosy cheek. "Then I don't hate you,"

Their eyes met again. They giggled.

"Voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir! Voulez vous—"

"Okay! That's enough! Thank you!" Tokiya yelled from his seat.

"Did I get the part?" A voluptuous young woman scantily dressed in a hot pink tube top and white micro-mini shorts stood onstage, seductively twirling a strand of her hair around her index finger.

"We'll just give you a call," Tokiya replied coolly, discreetly crossing her name off the list. "Thank you,"

"I'll be waiting," She answered, winking seductively at the silver-haired beauty. Recca, Domon, and Kaoru watched her step down from the stage and walk out the door, secretly hoping that she graced them with her alluring winks too.

As soon as they were sure she was out earshot, confessions suddenly resonated throughout the large dome.

"God, did you see that rack? It was…hey, Kaoru, pass me another tissue," Recca finally spoke as he reached out for the pack of tissue in Kaoru's hand. His nose started to bleed like an open faucet the moment he saw her walk toward the stage.

Ew.

"Her butt was practically peeking out of her shorts, for God's sake," Kaoru remarked, pulling another tissue out of the pack and placing it under his nose. His bled as well.

Double ew.

"Her voice didn't sound so bad though," Domon commented as he sniffed some blood back up his nose.

Triple ew.

"Are you deaf or were your libidos giving you some alternate hearing aid?" Tokiya asked, slightly irritated. "The keys were all over the place!"

 Having listened to seventy-five girls with no singing potential whatsoever, he felt as if his head was being pounded repeatedly by a sledge hammer.

Guess the Tylenol was of no effect at all.

"Are you sure this is going to be okay?" Fuuko asked worriedly. She was the next and last one for the day and so far, nobody has bagged the part. How high were their standards anyway?

"You'll be great, trust me," Yanagi answered calmly. "Just relax and do your best,"

Fuuko heaved a sigh.

How was she ever going to pull it off?

"ANYWHERE YOU GO, LET ME GO TOOOOO…THAT'S ALL I AAASSK OFFFF—"

"Okay! Okay! You can stop now!" Recca shouted, trying to defeat the bloodcurdling voice filling the room. For a small, lanky young woman, she sure had a loud screechy voice that could almost break glass.

No, really. It was earsplitting.

"Is it over?" Kaoru asked, slowly removing his palms from his ears. Silence could never be so genuine. He looked to his side to find Domon snoring with his forehead against the table. How can he sleep through something like that?

"Someone…Tylenol…please," Tokiya mumbled as he massaged his temples. Somebody should have been saying by now how noble he was for withstanding hours of pain through means of sheer vocal torture. "How much more do we have to suffer?"

"Just one more girl to go," Recca answered, stretching his arms heavenward. "Wow, I can't believe we've been through a hundred and fifty girls."  He picked up his clipboard and called out the last name on the list. "Kirisawa Fuuko! Please come up on the stage!"

Yanagi sat on one of the front seats in the auditorium, eagerly waiting for Fuuko to emerge from backstage.

None.

"Kirisawa Fuuko! Please come up on the stage!" Recca repeated.

Where was she?

Yanagi's heart began to race. Did she back out and run?

"That's it. I'm leaving," Tokiya spoke, pushing his chair back. "This was a total waste of time."

"Wait!"

Recca, Kaoru and Tokiya spun their heads towards the voice.

Embarrassed for her sudden outburst, Yanagi turned scarlet. "Fuuko is already backstage. If you just wait for a moment, I'll go get her right now,"

"I'm sorry," Tokiya replied. "But I don't think—"

"No, it's okay. You can go get her," Recca interjected, raising a hand to silence his irritated band mate. "We'll give you a minute,"

Yanagi bowed in gratitude. "Thank you,"

And with that, she broke into a run, hoping to talk some sense into Fuuko.

"What do you think you're doing?" Tokiya hissed. "Do you find pleasure in torturing yourself?"

Recca's eyes glazed over the place where Yanagi recently stood. "Did you see her eyes? They were so…Wow,"

Tokiya continued to glare at the stunned bozo as he raised an eyebrow. So…Wow?

Well, that explains a lot.

Yanagi found Fuuko hiding behind the curtains of the stage, her emerald eyes staring blankly on the wooden floor.

"Fuu-chan, are you alright?"

"I'm sorry, Yanagi-chan. I can't do this," Fuuko answered faintly. "Forgive me,"

"What are you talking about?" Yanagi replied, lifting Fuuko's chin so that their eyes met. "You can do it,"

"She's not coming out," Kaoru presumed as he restlessly shifted in his seat.

"I guess so," Recca spoke disappointedly.

With that said, Tokiya stood from his seat and picked up his bag off the floor. If there was nothing else to say or do, then what the hell did he have to stay in there for? He slung his bag over his shoulder and made his way out the door. It would be better to just leave rather than to beat the crap out of Recca. They still had a jamming session the next day.

Recca bent down to pick up his backpack. "We should leave, too."

"Recca…" Kaoru said as he glued his eyes to the stage. "Look,"

"Kirisawa Fuuko," the purple-haired maiden uttered, filling the auditorium with the sound of her voice. "I'm sorry I took so long. Can I still audition?"

"Well…" Recca started, resting his elbows on the table. "Because you took so long, one of our band mates finally lost it and left." He looked intently at the young woman on the stage. She seemed really upset.

"Ah, to hell with him," he continued, a smile gracing his lips. "Go ahead, start."

Fuuko took a deep breath. It was now or never.

_"When you walk away,_

_You don't hear me say,_

_Please,_

_Oh baby, don't go,"_

Her heart began to palpitate slower, relaxing to the feel of the song. She closed her as eyes as she felt the words flow freely from her mouth. The world started to vanish; it was only her and her voice.

_"Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight,_

_It's hard to let it go."_

Recca couldn't help but stare. His jaw dropped as he heard Fuuko's voice resonate through the walls of the auditorium.

She was perfect.

_"Hold me,_

_Whatever life beyond this morning,_

_Is a little later on._

_Regardless of warning,_

_The future doesn't scare me at all._

_Nothing's like before."_

Tokiya stood behind the doorway, intently paying attention to the celestial voice resounding in the hall. As soon as he heard her sing the first few lines of the song, he stopped dead on his tracks and hid himself out of sight. He listened critically to every note she sang, the consistency of the tempo she tried to retain, and the careful belting she made when necessary.

_"Hold me,_

_Whatever life beyond this morning,_

_Is a little later on._

_Regardless of warning,_

_The future doesn't scare me at all._

_Nothing's like before."_

He smiled. They finally found her.


	3. Breathe

**Breathe**

It was lunchtime. Fuuko was back on the rooftop, silently watching the busy world below with her measuring gaze.

She sighed.

The horizon was soothing. She averted her eyes from the ground below and looked heavenward, following the birds glide across the sky and toward the distance. Bright streaks of daylight warmed her icy skin, the sun silently teasing itself to come out from behind the clouds. She loved the crisp air whipping her hair against her face, the distant sound of the students merrily chatting their hearts out, and the simple joy of listening to the diverse sounds encircling the ambiance.

Every time she had the chance of coming up to her sanctuary, an unexplainable feeling of solace takes over senses. Everything was just so tranquil. So pleasant. So—

"Fuuko!"

Over.

Fuuko spun her head towards the voice.

 "So this is where you're always hiding," Recca assumed, casually walking towards her with his hands in the pockets of his pants.

"How did you find me?" Fuuko asked. Her eyes continued to follow Recca as he occupied the space next to her.

Recca looked back at her incredulously. "How did you think I found you? Your friend, Yanagi, told me of course." He climbed up the iron railing and crossed his legs comfortably. "I love the wind up here," he said, attempting to start a conversation.

"What are you doing here?" Fuuko suddenly bit her lip and mentally kicked herself. She didn't mean to sound so forthright and rude, but it was just not her nature to evade an issue and resort to small talk. Get to the point, and we'll end this pronto—that was Fuuko.

Well, at least that's who she is now.

"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to join us after dismissal at the music room," he said, scratching the back of his head, an apologetic grin plastered on his face. "Well, it's not really a decision you have you have to make, but a requirement.""Well, if it's a requirement—"

"You can bring your friend, Yanagi, if you want," Recca interrupted, cutting Fuuko in mid-sentence.

Fuuko held Recca's gaze for a second longer and looked back into the horizon. "Sure, I'll be there."

"Great!" Recca exclaimed, jumping off the railing and cheerfully skipped to the exit. "I'll see you there!"

"Wow, your first jamming session with Mystcase! Aren't you excited?" Yanagi asked, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

"I don't really know what to feel, Yanagi-chan," Fuuko answered, wondering if this band thing was really worth her time. She had homework and projects piling up her study desk at home. The idea of spending long hours in a room filled with instruments and young men she barely knew was simply absurd.

She snapped out of her reverie as Yanagi's voice rang in her ears.

"Ready?" The brunette asked jovially.

Fuuko took a deep breath as she made an attempt to veil the electrifying jolt of trepidation that ran through her spine.

She nodded and Yanagi opened the white-washed door.

"Hey! You're here! Coolness!" Recca greeted as the two newcomers entered the room. "And you brought Yanagi with you! Double coolness!"

"Geez, Recca," said Kaoru, emerging from one of the storage rooms carrying a bass guitar. "Can you sound any gayer?"

"Oh, shut up," Recca hissed, his eyes shooting daggers at the snickering adolescent.

Fuuko couldn't help but chuckle at her two band mates. She suppressed herself from bursting into bubbly giggles—a habit in which she swore to stop— and scanned the room for the remaining two. Her head turned to the sudden crash of the cymbals at the far end of the room and saw Domon adjusting what seemed like metal knobs to a certain level wherein he coincided with its height. Domon grinned at the sight of her looking in his direction and flashed a peace sign with his free hand. Fuuko smiled in acknowledgment of his friendly greeting and continued to scan the room for the last band memeber. Her eyes finally caught sight of Tokiya standing far across from her, silently bringing out his guitar from its case and putting the strap over his shoulder. Funny, Fuuko wondered, how his personality contrasts the high-spirited character of his other band mates. The reason behind what she thought of as amusing was indefinite, but the fact that he was there made the formation of the band seem right. Her gaze lingered on him for a while, curiosities tossing about in her consciousness.

The next thing that happened caught her completely off-guard. Because of her sudden disappearance from reality, she was not aware of the fact that she was still staring at Tokiya…and that he was staring right back at her.

She drew back from her state in surprise and blushed a deep scarlet, her hair—thank God for its length—concealing her rosy countenance. As soon as she was convinced that her face went back to its original complexion, she looked back up to see Tokiya's face a few good inches away from hers.

"My wire," He told her, his cold sapphire eyes refusing to let go of her befuddled emerald ones. Fuuko couldn't help but study and criticize his icy pools of blue. She searched deep into them, eager to obtain a clue to decipher his taciturn identity. There was nothing there. Something was missing; her heart couldn't understand. She couldn't see anything.

Or feel anything.

Her mouth finally compensated for her negligence. "W-what?"

"You're stepping on my wire," He answered, looking down to where her foot trapped the black wire connected to his guitar.

"Oh, sorry," Fuuko mumbled as she hastily removed her heel from the cable.

Tokiya bent down to seize the black line and impassively nodded at her as he stood back up and made his way across the room.

After Recca and the others finally finished setting up their instruments, they all sat in a circle to begin Fuuko's interrogation.

"So, Fuuko," Recca began. "Tell me, who helped you enhance that voice of yours?"

"Well, I never really had formal voice lessons, but I was part of a church choir and glee club," She replied, quite embarrassed for her dull and typical credentials.

"Wow, that's really cool. No voice lessons whatsoever? That's a gift," Kaoru interrupted. Fuuko smiled at his flattering recognition and continued to ready herself for another interrogation.

 "Do you know how to cook?" Domon asked optimistically.

 "Is there any other talent you possess that could possibly benefit the band?" Tokiya questioned, choosing to dismiss Domon's idiocy.

"I can also play the guitar, but I'm more efficient when it comes to my singing abilities" Fuuko truthfully replied. Two years of playing the guitar couldn't really compare to ten years of suffering sore throats and consuming _herbal_ tea—if itreally _is_ herbal— just to be worthy enough to be referred to as a true singer.

"Enough chit-chat!" Recca exclaimed as he stood up from the circle of teenagers and walked towards his guitar. "Let's jam!"

"Yeah!" Kaoru agreed, jumping up and running to his bass to turn it on.

"You guys could sit over there, so you could get a good view of all of us," Domon told the two young women as he pointed to a certain spot in the room and stood up, making a beeline for the drum set. Fuuko and Yanagi helped themselves up from where they sat and made their way to the opposite side of the room where Domon said the perfect spot would be. Indeed, it was an excellent spot. The two girls got a good view of each of them, Kaoru on the right, Tokiya on the left, Recca in the middle, and Domon right behind him. After a few minutes of tunings, modulations, and sound checks, silence filled the room as Recca walked up to the mic stand.

"Isn't this exciting?" Yanagi finally spoke, her eyes twinkling with delight. She admired the way Mystcase presented itself to the public. Besides the fact of being a rock band, they didn't tattoo themselves senseless, or wear worn-out sneakers, or dye their hair an electric blue. They were always clad casual outfits, like a cool American Eagle tee with jeans or just a simple solid shirt with cargos. Whoever said that you can't be a rocker without having your ears pierced more than once?

"We're Mystcase, and I can't believe this is the last time we'll be playing as an all-male band." Recca started. A chuckle escaped his lips. "Actually, I can." He strummed a soft melody on his guitar. "This is our first song and it's called The Day You Said Goodnight."

Fuuko and Yanagi eagerly watched as Recca closed his eyes and began to sing the song from his heart.

_"Take me as you are,_

_Push me off the road._

_The sadness,_

_I need this time to be with you."_

Domon and Kaoru joined in after Recca's short intro, softly playing a light rhythm in the background. Recca's voice continued to resound through the room, a gentle undertone of sincerity veiling his countenance.

_"And I do,_

_Reside in your light._

_Put out the fire with me and find._

_Yeah you lose the side of you circles,_

_That's what I'll do if we say goodbye."_

Tokiya came in at this point, slowly plucking a haunting tune of melancholy. Domon and Kaoru started to pick up volume and played louder now.

_"To be is all I got to be,_

_And all that see,_

_And all that I need this time._

_To be the life you gave me,_

_The day you said goodnight."_

Fuuko's eyes drifted closed, her mind being held captive by the mesmerizing harmony emitting from the hearts of her band mates. She started to sway to the melody, a smile forming in her lips as the song softened once more.

_"The calmness  in your face,_

_ That I see through the night._

_The warmth of your light is pressing onto us._

_You didn't ask me why,_

_I never would have known._

_Oblivion is falling down."_

Domon and Kaoru played a more intricate rhythm now, their eyes concerted on their instruments. Kaoru's fingers glided over the fret board, gracefully hitting each note with ease. Domon slammed his drumsticks on the kit with precision and complexity while Tokiya pressed on the effects pad as he strummed on his guitar, producing a dramatic echo of longing in the background.

_"She's already taken,_

_She's already taken,_

_She's already taken me."_

Recca slowly strummed as the others followed and gradually decreased their pace.

_"The day you said goodnight."_

The last note hung in the air, a feeling of satisfaction passing through their beings. Fuuko lay mesmerized as she slowly opened her eyes to focus on the faces of her band mates. These were the people she was going to work with. Maybe her time wouldn't be a waste after all. If this was the way she was going to feel every time she was with these people, she would gladly submit her time for them. Music could never be a hindrance to her. Music was a part of life, and on her part, it was a big one. She would have remained silent for a longer period of time and left herself tossing about in her thoughts if Yanagi didn't erupt into a standing ovation.

"You guys were so good!" Yanagi squealed, her palms turning red because of the clapping. "Recca-kun, where did you learn how to sing like that?"

Recca scratched the back of his head, flattered by Yanagi's comment. "My mother taught me." A tint of crimson passed his face. "Oh yeah, you can cut the formalities. Call me Recca."

Yanagi smiled back at him sweetly. "Okay, Recca."

Recca couldn't help but blush a mad scarlet. God, she was so pretty when she smiled. It was like her face lit up every time she smiled. It was too beautiful a sight to forget. He swallowed hard and turned to Fuuko to distract himself from the brunette beauty.

"How did you like it, Fuu-chan?" Recca asked, finally gaining composure.

Fuuko chuckled. How did she like it? It rocked her socks off! Why were they containing themselves in a school music room when they could be in a recording studio preparing for their debut album? God, if they only felt the cold chills passing through her spine.

"It rocked," She answered as she flashed a rock sign with her fingers. "You guys were really good. It's an honor to work with you guys."

"Wow, thanks," Recca answered, a grateful grin plastered on his face.

"We'll be having our jamming sessions here in the music room three times a week. Since it is in the school's boundaries, it's going to be easier for all of us to get together after school." Tokiya spoke, feeling the necessity to tell their new band member some details about attendance.

"Yeah, and hard to get out of," Kaoru added, pretending not to notice Tokiya's famous death glare.

"Moving on, the duration of the sessions will be around 2-3 hours a day depending on our development and inactivity." Tokiya continued, impassively looking back at Fuuko.

 "You don't have to jam with us today. Just listen to us play and stuff." Kaoru told Fuuko as he adjusted the strap of his bass.

"Are you guys done?" Domon shouted from the far side of the room. Apparently, he was feeling a bit left out. "Let's jam!"

The three young men walked back to their original places as Fuuko and Yanagi prepared for another captivating performance. Recca casually walked up to the mike and cleared his throat.

"This is our next song and it's called 'Take No'."

Three days later…

Footsteps echoed outside the corridor as the new Mystcase and Yanagi waited inside the music room. Each step grew louder as it approached them, and they knew perfectly well where the source of it all came from.

"You guys! I have good news!" Recca exclaimed as he burst into the room without preamble.

"You're late," Tokiya spoke coldly, his foot tapping impatiently against the wooden flooring. "The others came in twenty minutes ago. What's your excuse now?" Having heard almost every justification created in the known universe from Recca, he wondered what kind of reason his late band mate was going to say now. It wasn't like he was going to believe it anyway. At one point, Recca had run out of plausible excuses, so he said the first thing that came into his mind as he stepped into the music room. He needed to give his pet a bath.

How can you give a _goldfish_ a bath?

Recca tilted his chin upward, pride written all over his face. "An excusable excuse, fridge boy,"

Tokiya twitched at the nick name and pointed idly at the piece of paper clutched in his band mate's hand. "A piece of paper isn't going to cut it, Hanabishi."

Recca held out the flyer for everyone around the room to see. This piece of paper IS going to cut it. Hell, it's enough to cut them a bit of fame and fortune along the way. "For your information, ice block," He answered, reaching out to pass him the flyer. "This is an invitation to a band competition with a cash prize and a guest performance at Rock Radio. It could be our big break!"

 Kaoru ran to Tokiya and stood next to him as he read the information himself. "First prize will be awarded with a cash prize and a guest performance at Rock Radio Station. Whoa, how sweet is that?"

"Well, judging by the date, we have about three weeks to get ready for the big day," Domon told no one in particular as he took a top view perspective from the group's heads—being tall and all.

 "Uh, you guys, isn't this a bit too soon?" Fuuko asked, dismissing the current—and quite shocking—scenario. "I mean, don't we need a bit more time than that? Since I'm new, we're all going to have to work extra hard with the competition just around the corner."

"Nah, we'll be alright." Recca answered as he waved off the thought with his free hand. "You pick up fast, anyway. Remember our last jamming session?"

Fuuko nodded in concurrence. She did remember it. The coverage of the previous jamming session was a test to see how quick she could master a song she never even heard of. To their astonishment, she mastered the entire composition together with the instruments all in less than an hour. A jolt of pride rushed through her. It was the job of a singer to do such a difficult task, and she executed it relatively well that day.

Yanagi wrapped her arms around Fuuko. "Oh, Fuu-chan, this is such a great opportunity for you! Are you willing to take it?"

Fuuko flinched at the contact but did not draw back. She was used to Yanagi's sudden outbursts of affection. Looking back at the question, was she ready for it? Can she meet her band's expectations? How about the people? If she did join, she was going to have to sing on stage and face hundreds of unfamiliar people. The pressure of memorizing all the songs in a brief moment of time would cause a good deal of stress. And did she mention all the homework and projects she had to catch up on right after the practices? Time budgeting and multi-tasking wasn't one of her specialties after all.

"I say we join." Recca announced. "How about you guys?"

Recca's voice was far too small to be heard by Fuuko. She was trapped in her thoughts again, disregarding all aspects that disrupted her from tossing about into her world of wonder. Her eyes glazed into oblivion.  If she didn't join, then she would be letting her band down. Selfishness was to be the cause of her disapproval about joining the competition. She was not one to entertain and take interest in such a thought. If selfishness would cloud her better judgment, then she would most definitely think otherwise.

"Fuu-chan? Are you okay?" Yanagi asked worriedly. She gently nudged Fuuko, hoping to bring her back from whatever universe she was currently visiting in her head. She always caught Fuuko lost in her thoughts, her body being present in the scene, but her mind flying off to someplace else. Ergo, the distant look in her emerald eyes.

A heavy mass pressed onto Fuuko, causing her to snap back to reality. She looked to her side to see Yanagi and her brown almond eyes fill with concern. "Sorry, what were you saying?" Fuuko asked, mentally kicking herself for spacing out again. Damn, she really had to stop daydreaming or else she'll find herself spending a long term involvement with the mental institution.

"Whaddaya say? You wanna join or not?" Domon asked excitedly, clamping a large hand onto Fuuko's shoulder and her shaking her vigorously. Fuuko brought her palm to her forehead as the room danced before her eyes. She blinked her eyes a few times to regain her vision and cease the nausea that was beginning to take over her.

"I guess. It's worth a shot." Fuuko replied, shrugging her shoulders in the process. There. She said it. Hopefully, her decision would be something she wouldn't be shooting herself for in the near future.

"Great! It's settled then!" Recca exclaimed. "I'll go sign us up after this session ends."

"There's only one problem, you guys," Kaoru interrupted, his frown visible to everyone in the room. "How are we going to jam?"

Tokiya raised a questioning eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I heard that the school chorale will be competing in the inter-school choir competition this month, which means that they'll be using the music room more often than usual."

An atypical deafening silence filled the room. Everyone was caught in their own thoughts, thinking of a way to solve the quandary through a credible manner.

Most of them, at least. Domon was too preoccupied searching for _something_ inside his nose. An alien civilization, maybe?

"I got it!" Recca yelled, his body pumping another surge of energy through his veins. "We can jam in Mikagami's pad!"

"Excuse me?" Tokiya asked infuriately. "_MY house?"_

"Yeah! I remember the music room we visited when you showed me around your house!" Recca replied as he fidgeted restlessly in his seat, the others fearing that he might burst open because of all the energy stored inside of him.

"Hanabishi," Tokiya answered coldly, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "I did not show you around. YOU showed yourself around and destroyed my mother—"

"Whatever, ice man," Recca interrupted as he flapped his hand at his band mate, trying to shoo his words away. "So? Who agrees with my idea? Kindly raise your hand. That is, if you can't think of anywhere else to jam."

Apparently, the others couldn't think of any other places to practice without getting charged for it. Domon, Recca, Fuuko and Kaoru readily raised their hands. Yanagi kept hers to herself—well, she wasn't part of the band anyway. Tokiya folded his arms over his chest; he didn't want his house to be the talk of the town right after a jamming session—luxuriously delicious from the outside, hurricane swept in the inside.

"Majority Rules," Recca told Tokiya, his voice dripping with relish.

Tokiya just rolled his eyes and looked away. It wasn't like he could do anything anyway.

_Must prepare tranquilizer_, he thought to himself.

"Now then," Recca continued as his tone turned into a business-like manner. "We can all go to Tokiya's house an hour after school. Do whatever you want til' then. But…" His eyes focused on the purple-haired maiden. "I think Fuuko should go to Tokiya's house in advance."

"What?" Fuuko reacted hastily. She was supposed to go to a guy's house and stay with him all alone? No way. It's just…no. She would definitely NOT do it. That was her final answer. NO, NO, NO. "Why should I?"

"Well, it would be better that way, so that when the other band members get there, the tone and pitch would be fixed already. We can't afford to waste time tuning the guitars to your voice and stuff during the jamming session. It would be faster that way. Why, is there a problem?"

Fuuko shrugged. He did have a point. Like she said, the competition was just around the corner, and with that said, there wasn't much time to spare. What if she asked Yanagi to go with her? If she did that, it would be rude to invite her since she was not even the owner of the residence.

 "No. It's fine. I'll go," Fuuko answered feebly.

All she had to do was forget.

Just for that moment.

And everything would be alright.


	4. Taciturn Countenance

**Taciturn Countenance**

            Her fist was a few inches from the large oak door; eyes set on the intricate carvings on the think slab of wood. Diverse emotions continued to surge through her body, somehow making it incapable of creating any movement at all.

Fuuko briskly walked along the empty sidewalk, occasionally glancing at the crumpled slip of paper possessing the home address given to her by Tokiya himself.

_"Here," Tokiya told Fuuko as he dropped the neatly folded piece of paper on her desk. "It would be appreciated if you came on time."_

_With nothing else said, he turned on his heel and made his way out of Fuuko's classroom. A group of girls from the other end of the room tore their gaze away from the retreating senior and onto the puzzled junior, jealously pondering on the idea of the man of their dreams looking for someone else other than them._

_Fuuko__ was left staring at the doorway, quite startled by Tokiya's sudden intrusion. Her eyes drifted onto the white slip of paper on her table._

_What was that for?_

_Her slender fingers reached for the paper and carefully unfolded it._

_61 rose whip drive._

Her feet carried her as if it had its own intuition. She kept her hasty pace and continued to advance toward her destination, glimpsing at the gold numbers attached to the gates of each sophisticated home.

Could she even call it a home? The houses were like the size of a mini-mall.

Her speed reduced as she passed a large Victorian mansion with a house number of 57 fixed on its cold automatic metal gates. She placed her eyes on the next gold number…

And the next…

58…

59…

60…

She stopped.

Her lips gradually parted into a slim gap as she gazed at the scene before her.

The house was far more extraordinary than what she envisioned it to be. Unlike the other houses that Fuuko passed, the residence did not have a gate present to hinder the world from staring at its magnificence. The large structure was painted with refined colors, its large glass windows sparkling in the sunlight. It was as if every angle of the dwelling was planned thoroughly--each wall having its on own purpose, each embellishment resembling a certain memory of the past.

Like its master, the house seemed to demand respect as well.

Her heels clicked against the cold pavement as she made her way toward the rounded path leading to the front door. Her emerald orbs caught sight of a large fountain at the center of the elliptical lane. A beautiful woman carved in stone stood amidst all the water, and in her long slender fingers, a small jar was tilted forward as if to pour out all its contents. Water flowed out of the jar and onto the large body of water beneath it, creating a soothing, relaxing sound that tickled Fuuko's ears.

Regaining some courage and composure, she took a deep breathe as her knuckles made contact with the thick polished wood before her.

But instead of hitting its cold hard surface, her fist went through nothing but cold air, as the door was swung open by the owner himself.

"It took you long enough to simply knock."

Fuuko lowered her pale fist and stared at her impassive band mate in disbelief.

"How did you know I was outside your doorstep?"

Tokiya pointed at a small black lens located at the upper right corner of the door frame.

"Security camera." He told her, his cold cerulean eyes refusing to leave the maiden's puzzled countenance.

"Come in," Tokiya said as he swung the door wide enough for her to pass through. Fuuko, with her hair hopefully concealing her rosy appearance, made her way passed Tokiya and into the vast domicile.

The soft click of the lock in the door resonated through the walls of his dwelling. Fuuko's eyes drifted from one part of the home to another, apparently mesmerized by the surroundings.

            It was an even more captivating picture than what she had previously seen outside. Paintings of many great and deceased artists adorned the walls with splendor. The furniture matched its luxurious theme, and even the lights were positioned in such a way that it accented each angle and area. Clearly, the house was done with an earthy and sophisticated theme. Her eyes continued to scan the vicinity and spotted a long glass wall with water gracefully sliding down from the pinnacle and descending slowly to the bottom, creating that same relaxing and tickling sound that her ears loved to hear. Small plants were left hanging elegantly on the glass, constantly being bathed by the clear crystal water.

"It's a partition separating the foyer and the dining area." Tokiya told her, noticing Fuuko's sudden interest on the glass structure. He regretted having that big piece of glass standing there, for a certain memory had made him bitter towards it. He remembered the first days of jamming together in his house as Mystcase with Recca, Domon and Kaoru. Due to a petty argument of who-eats-what during an evening meal one night, a wrestling match was held right in the middle of the dining area. Plates flew across the room and food splattered on the clean newly-painted walls. Tokiya was powerless as Recca and Domon crashed into the glass wall and wrestled each other senseless into the living room, either one trying to get the other into a neck-breaking headlock.

Mystcase never had another jamming practice in 61 Rose Whip Drive ever since.

"It's beautiful," Fuuko answered.

Tokiya disregarded the comment and sat on one of the plush seats near the unlit marble fireplace. "Where do you want to practice?  We can practice in my room if you want due to the fact—

_Most definitely not_, Fuuko thought to herself as she looked up to see a crystal chandelier hanging right above her.

"—or we can go to the serenity garden. I can just bring—"

"There's a garden?" The words left Fuuko's mouth before she could even stop them. A shade of carnation tinted her cheeks, as to being slightly discomfited for her sudden interjection.

Tokiya looked back at her as he raised a questioning eyebrow. "The garden it is then," He stood up from his seat and made his way toward the stairs. "Sit down and try not to touch anything,"

Fuuko nodded, as if depicting a child following her mommy's orders not to touch anything at the antique store. She sat quietly on the couch and waited for her band mate's return.

A few minuters later, Tokiya finally descended down the staircase clutching his acoustic guitar in one hand and a clear book in the other. Instead of finding a silent Fuuko seated on the couch and patiently awaiting for his arrival, he found her looking down on the pictures frames that were placed nattily on top of the fireplace. His icy aura must have somehow filled the ambiance, for Fuuko turned to face him with inquiring eyes.

"Who are these people?" Fuuko asked him, turning back once more to look at the photographs that bore different fine-looking silver haired individuals.

Tokiya made his way across the room, slightly annoyed by the interrogation. He glanced over Fuuko's shoulder to have a better look at the picture.

Four people clad in formal wear stood beside a most extravagant Christmas tree adorned with tinsels, ornaments, and crystals. The older man and woman stood side by side behind the two children and smiled in such a way that it was as if they rehearsed it before the shot was taken. The little girl, probably at the age of thirteen, smiled the same way as her parents did- relaxed, lips closed and curved upward.. The image was evidently as formal and as refined as ever, if not for the little boy and his tiny fingers forming a peace sign, and his sparkling white teeth exposing from the molars to the bicuspids for the whole world to see.

"My family," he answered as he sat back down on the same seat near the fireplace.

"Really? Where are they?" Fuuko asked, fixing her eyes on the next picture which was apparently taken at a beach.

"They died," Tokiya replied with the least bit of sorrow. "In a plane crash,"

Fuuko turned to look at him, her face filled with grief and shame. "I'm sorry,"

"It doesn't matter," He answered, standing up from his seat and walking toward the dining area. "Follow me,"

Fuuko followed after him as they moved across the dining room, through the sliding glass doors and into the patio of the serenity garden.

Fuuko only had three words to describe the landscape:

Garden of Eden.

Tokiya took a seat on one of the chairs and opened his clear book in search for the said song to practice. Fuuko sat on a chair opposite him and slid closer to have a look at the content as well. As the pages turned, Fuuko noticed sheets of paper bearing peculiar symbols that were far from being music notes or guitar tabs. Her eyes widened with curiosity as she watched him leaf through the book with even more sheets of odd symbols printed in them.

"They're drum tabs," Tokiya said, answering the question that lingered in Fuuko's mind.

"You play the drums too?"

"Yes."

"What else can you play?" Fuuko asked him. She knew so little about Tokiya. In contrast to her other band mates, he was the only one who didn't bother sharing anything about himself, or say anything either. Recca, Domon, and Kaoru had narrated their whole life story to her—scratch that—they had told her EVERY single detail about their life, from their first encounter with Santa Claus to their first trip to Disneyland.

"Piano and Violin," Tokiya answered impassively, positioning his guitar comfortably on his thigh. "Judging by your voice, the only thing we need to do is to capo the third fret and we're all set. Ready?" He looked up to see Fuuko staring back at him, her eyes yet again filled with the same inquisitiveness as it had just a moment ago.

"Why don't you ask me?"

"Ask you what?" Tokiya questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Anything. Anything about me."

Tokiya shrugged and returned to tuning his guitar. "It is not of my concern,"

He started to pluck each string, his calloused fingers gliding across the fret board with ease and fluidity.

"I'll be singing second voice, don't get confused,"

Fuuko nodded and waited for her cue. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

_"And now I concede,_

_On the night of fifteenth song,_

_Of melancholy, of melancholy…"_

Tokiya began to sing in harmony with Fuuko as he strummed the guitar slowly in constant motion.

_"Cause tonight, I leave my fears behind,_

_Cause tonight, I'll be right by your side,"_

The world vanished once more. It was only her voice.

Together with his.

_"Lie down right next to me,_

_Lie down right next to me,_

_And I will never let go…"_

Tokiya's strumming softened and he plucked once more, emitting the same haunting and alluring tune he played back in the school music room.

_"But still I see,_

_The tears from your eyes…_

_Maybe I'm just not the one,_

_For you…"_

Tokiya left the last note hanging in the air, resonating through their ears.

Fuuko slowly opened her eyes and met Tokiya's sapphire ones.

A smile graced his lips.

"BRAVO! BRAVO!"

Startled, Tokiya and Fuuko looked round towards the voice.

Tokiya's eyes narrowed.

"Don't you knock?" He hissed.

"That was some performance!" Recca exclaimed. "Can we get an encore?" He walked to toward them with Domon, Kaoru, and Yanagi tailing behind.

"Yo," Domon and Kaoru greeted in unison.

"Hey, Fuu-chan," Said Yanagi as she waved. She turned to Tokiya and bowed before him. "Mikagami-sempai,"

Tokiya nodded in reply and stood from his seat.  "We'll be upstairs in the music room. It's the first door to the right once you get to the landing. You got five minutes," he told Fuuko as he closed is clear book, picked up his guitar, and wove through the slightly crowded patio.

Recca shrugged and gestured Domon and Kaoru to follow the retreating senior. "Come on, up we go!"

"So, Yanagi, what brings you here?" Fuuko asked the brunette as she watched her fellow band mates leave from the corner of her eye.

"Well," Yanagi started, setting her bag on the chair nearest to her. "I met the guys along the way and they—well, Recca in particular­­—asked if I wanted to come and watch you guys jam." A grin was plastered on her jovial countenance. "How can I say 'no' to that?"

"Here we are. Door to the right," Fuuko thought aloud as she turned the brass knob and swung the heavy wooden door open.

It took a while for the two girls to become accustomed to the immensely bright light that burst onto their faces as they entered the room. Fuuko walked into the room, squinting and blinking her eyes in the process, secretly hoping that she wouldn't bump into anything valuable or life-threatening for that matter. Regaining her vision, her eyes widened as she was once again stunned by the view that unfurled right before her.

As every part of the house made Fuuko's heart leap into God-knows-where, it was as luxurious and glamorous as the dining area, the living room and the serenity garden. Instruments such as a drum kit, a piano, a bass, and guitars were positioned purposefully in the middle of the room. Violins, Trumpets, and many other instruments filled the shelves, each illuminated by a light that brought out its grandeur and delicate structure. On the other side of the room was a recording booth, exposed by a fairly large glass that separated the two areas apart.

"Why are the walls so soft?" Yanagi asked, pressing her hands against the white padded wall.

"That's to stop the sound waves from bouncing off the walls. It absorbs it in some way," Kaoru replied as he adjusted the strap on his bass guitar.

"Hey, ice block, can we bring Yanagi inside the recording booth? The music might be too loud if she was in here. At least, inside, she can adjust the volume and stuff," Recca asked, plugging his cable on one of the large amplifiers behind him.

"Since when did YOU care about anyone else but yourself?" Tokiya retorted. "Kaoru, you go set it up."

"What the f—"

"Set. It. Up."

"Yes, sir," Kaoru replied grudgingly as he removed the strap off his shoulder and lay his bass on a rack next to him. "Yanagi-neechan, shall we?"

The brunette nodded blissfully and followed Kaoru toward the recording booth. "This is going to be fun!"

"That was a really productive session, huh!" Recca exclaimed as he climbed down the stairs.

"We could have been more productive if Domon didn't hit himself with his stupid drumsticks," Tokiya said to no one in particular. "It took us more than half an hour just to let him regain consciousness."

"How can you blame me? I was in the zone, dude!" Domon replied, gingerly touching the bump on his forehead.

"You think calling me 'dude' is amusing?" Tokiya snapped, his icy demeanor getting even icier in the seconds that passed them.

"Now, now, children, we mustn't fight," Koaru told them in a motherly fashion. Fuuko and Yanagi couldn't help but chuckle.

"Shut it," Tokiya replied, as he opened the front door for them. "Practice is tomorrow at—"

"No,"

Tokiya glared at Recca, his eyebrow raised in curiosity. "I'm sorry, what?"

"We can't have a jamming session tomorrow," The spiky-haired teen replied, a sheepish grin plastered on his face.

"Really now? Care to expound on the reason why?" Tokiya asked, his temper clearly being tested yet again.

"Because…I have this really important place to go to," the jolly adolescent replied, his grin growing even wider.

 Oh, how great the temptation was of wanting to punch Recca's face in.

Tokiya glowered at his band mate.

"Fine. It's not like I can stop you anyway."

"You guys can still jam without me." Recca answered as he skipped out the door. "Later!"

"Well, we should go to," Kaoru told them. "Come on, Domon."

"Okay, bye guys!" Domon said as he ran off to go after Kaoru. "See you tomorrow!"

Fuuko turned to Tokiya. "What time tomorrow?"

"Same time," was all he said.

"Oh, alright. Well, let's go Yan-chan." She told Yanagi as she made her way out the door and onto the rounded path.

"Mikagami-sempai, thank you," Said Yanagi as she bowed before her senior.

Tokiya simply nodded and closed the door as soon as she crossed the door frame.

The sun was set by that time, painting the horizon in different shades of crimson and gold. Crickets had started to sing their evening lullaby, creating that familiar air of silence and serenity. Small winged silhouettes glided across the sky, finally returning to their nests and getting a good night's rest; the city was about to do the same. The city was about to sleep.

Fuuko and Yanagi's heels clicked against the pavement as they walked in grateful silence, inaudibly enjoying each other's company.

"I know why there's no jamming practice." Fuuko finally spoke after a few moments of uninterrupted silence.

"I figured you would find out somehow," Yanagi replied as a soft giggle escaped her lips.

"So? Spill," Fuuko answered, a smile gracing her lips in the process.

"Well, he said that he wanted to take me somewhere right after school," the brunette answered as a hot sensation crept up her face.

"Where?"

"It's a surprise…"

"Ooooohhh…that's hot."

The two girls burst into bubbly giggles. It was clear that Yanagi was excited for her date with Recca. Those A comfortable silence was set upon the two of them again, but the question that tossed about in Yanagi's mind was daring to break it.

"How about you and Tokiya? I could tell by your expression that you enjoyed singing with him," Yanagi assumed.

She knew Fuuko all too well.

"It's really weird you know," Fuuko replied, looking up at the darkness that seemed to slowly consume the golden horizon. "It was like, when we both sang together, the blending of his voice with mine was just…perfect." She tucked a strand of hair that seemed to escape behind her ear.

"It's just that…" She continued, quite embarrassed for next lines that she was about to utter. "It felt like…it was just the two of us at that moment. Just him and me. Singing together.

"Fuuko…"

Fuuko turned to Yanagi. Emerald eyes were locked against amber ones.

The brunette took her best friend's hand and gave her the warmest smile she could ever create.

"Maybe he's the one who can make you forget."

**Note**: If you guys were confused with the first part, it's like a double flashback—a transition from the present to the past, then, a little more back to the past. Get it? Get it?


	5. Closer

**Note: **It gets a bit heavy in this part so prepare for some dose of drama. wink

**Closer**

            Fuuko walked along his side in mutual silence, leaving ample space between the two of them. A gentle breeze caressed her hair as she continued to make her way towards her purpose. The only sound she could hear was their footsteps clicking against the cold pavement. Her slender arms embraced the books she carried closer to her chest, secretly wishing that the silence would end soon. She constantly walked with her eyes turned downwards on the asphalt surface.

Even from the corner of his eye, he could already see her apprehension. She was not exactly used to the silence, he figured. Tokiya brushed his long silver mane back with his fingertips as the breeze was getting a bit too playful with it. Putting his hand back into the pocket of his pants, he decided to become a bit more accommodating than he would usually allow himself to.

"We're almost there,"

"I know…"

They quietly passed by an empty playground. Its rickety swings lazily swung back and forth, emitting a creaking sound due to the rust engulfing its chains. The jovial laughter of elated children was no longer heard and the stillness seemed to be cutting through the air like a sharp sword, piercing through the ears of the anxious young woman bearing purple locks. Fuuko tried to dismiss her trepidation by looking up at the mauve sky, hoping that lady Luna would appear from high above and greet her in solitude. She closed her eyes and breathed in the crisp air encircling the ambiance. Maybe the silence wasn't so bad after all.

She slowly opened her eyes and found herself heading towards a direction that differed from Tokiya's choice of course. They finally met the fork on the road that lead to the silver-haired teenager's home; Fuuko always took the one on the left while Tokiya, the right.

"Where are you going?" Tokiya asked her. "My house is this way."

Fuuko raised a curious eyebrow. "This road leads to the same destination."

"This path is much shorter."

"But I want to go this way."

"Why?"

Fuuko sighed. "Because I like passing by the cherry blossoms. Have you been there yet?"

"Well, yes, but—"

"Will you walk with me, then?"

"We're going to be—"

"Please?"

Tokiya's cerulean and cold eyes lingered on Fuuko's viridian ones.

"Fine," he stated impassively. One short stop wouldn't hurt.

A smile crossed Fuuko's lips as she began to make her way toward the long valley of cherry blossom trees that loomed over her. She felt like such a brat for forcing him to go her way, but she just couldn't let someone break her daily ritual of passing by the sanctuary that gave her some sort of indiscernible strength. Tokiya walked alongside her, passing by the blossoms without so much a glance as he continued to pursue the path leading to his home.

"Where are Domon and Kaoru?" Fuuko asked him in curiosity. "Aren't they coming too?"

"They will come," Tokiya replied as he brushed off the stray velvet petals on his shoulders. "They were pressed with matters that rendered them unavailable at the moment."

Tokiya bit back the profanities that involuntarily came flowing right after. He was in the presence of a lady after all; it was only appropriate to save the vulgarity for those who really deserve it.

And to his satisfaction, the curses would go well with the agonizing blows that would grace the boys later on.

A soft and milky hand suddenly caught his wrist and tugged on it. Submitting to reality, he found himself being dragged along by his band mate. His eyes were fixed coldly on the back of her head as he was continuously being heaved forward like a tugboat.

"Where in Merlin's name are you taking me?" Tokiya snapped as they swerved from the cement path and into the thick throng of trees. "Take your hand off my wrist this instant!"

Fuuko disregarded his command and continued to make her way through the multitude of branches that crossed her way. If he didn't like it so much, then why doesn't he free himself from her _weak_ grasp?

As much as Tokiya's irritation was increasing with each step, his curiosity was getting the best of him. As far as he knew Fuuko, she would never use physical force to get what she wanted. Verbally, yes, but it was seldom and her tone of voice wasn't like Recca's— loud, monkey-like, and obnoxious. _It must be important,_ he thought. After debating that it was a good reason enough to be hauled into God-knows-where, his senses drifted onto the soft hand that encircled his firm wrist. He studied her slender fingers and the way they curved comfortably around his forehand, the silky texture of her palm, the paleness of her skin, the smooth—

"WATCH OUT!"

And before he could observe its delicate features any further, an explosive pain met his forehead and the darkness consumed his blunt senses.

"Oww,"

Tokiya winced as the pain shot through his head like a speeding bullet. He gingerly touched the tender bump, cut, bruise, or whatever it was on his forehead. The wound was still fresh. His half-processing brain tried to accustom itself to the situation, but the only thing that he could make out was the fact that his head was lying on something soft and warm. He flinched as another wave of pain surged through his skull. As his initial reaction, Tokiya shot up into an upright position, but was gently pushed back down by the same hand that caused him to feel the ache in the first place.

"Don't make any sudden movements; it will just hurt more,"

Tokiya managed to turn his attention towards the voice. His eyes glazed over Fuuko's concerned countenance. "What happened? Where am I?"

"You got hit by a tree branch," Fuuko started as a hot sensation slowly crept up her cheeks. "I thought you would do the same way I did, ducking and all, but I guess you weren't paying much attention to where you were going,"

"Argh, damn it," Tokiya mumbled.

"I'm sorry for all this," Fuuko started softly. "If I hadn't forcefully pulled you, that wound wouldn't be there,"

_Damn right it wouldn't, _Tokiya thought heatedly.

"It's alright. It doesn't matter," He replied nonchalantly.

Finding that his eyes were back its 20/20 self, he scanned the environment around him. A giant cherry blossom tree loomed over them and graciously sprinkled its carnation-colored blossoms from above. Crisp winds gently lead the stray petals over the edge of the cliff that was just meters away from them and only thing that lighted the sorroundings was the sun setting opposite from where they sat.

Tokiya weakly forced himself to sit up with the only strength that he could muster. "Why are we here anyway?"

"Because," Fuuko started as she helped her wounded companion to an upright postion. "This is the one place that I have to go to everyday. It provides a comfortable atmosphere where I can be myself." A chuckle escaped her lips as her band mate gave her a skeptical expression.  "People like me need some quiet time too, you know."

Tokiya heaved a sigh as he leaned on the old trunk behind him. He never knew that sitting up could be such a hard task to do. It was even worse than trying to get Recca and Domon to stop fighting over the last dumpling on the table. He looked to his side to find Fuuko with her arms folded around her knees, eyes looking toward the horizon. "People like you?"

A soft smile graced her lips as she hoisted herself on her feet and sauntered toward the cliff's edge. "Yup,"

Tokiya's stomach suddenly somersaulted as he watched his band mate tiptoe on the very edge of the precipice, her arms spread wide like a bird about to depart from the ground. Just a millimeter more into that boundary and she may very well be eaten alive by the waves that crashed against rigid rock face below. Despite this probability, it seemed as if she didn't mind the danger that could possibly end her life in a heartbeat. Even from behind, he could tell that there wasn't a trace of trepidation on her face. Only one question lingered on his mind…

 Was this girl insane?!

"Aren't you afraid to fall?" Tokiya asked softly as to not startle the purple-haired maiden. Grabbing support from the rigid tree trunk, he pulled himself up from the earthy ground. Regardless of the fact that the constant thumping of his head almost drove him mad, the palpitating of his heart dominated over all sense of pain. His stomach tossed and tumbled in agitation. Fuuko was inches from irrevocable death and the apprehension hastily increasing inside of him was on the verge of ignition.

To his relief, Fuuko slowly lowered her arms and took a few steps back from the edge. She turned and padded over to Tokiya, whose sapphire orbs were locked on her viridian ones. A heartrending smile graced her lips as she walked closer to the silver-haired beauty. Tokiya's body stiffened as he saw the poignant look in her eyes. He couldn't quite find the right words to express the sensation that washed over him at that moment, but somehow, he knew exactly what Fuuko felt during that point in time.

Fuuko stopped a few good inches between them. Her body bent slightly forward to level her head with his.

"I've already fallen," she whispered.

And a crisp wind blew past the both of them.

"Hold still," Fuuko insisted as she wiped the cut on his forehead with a cloth and some hydrogen peroxide. Tokiya winced as he felt the sting of the solution against his open wound.

"It hurts," he replied through clenched teeth. As much as he persevered in showing no pain on his features, the stinging overpowered him too much to no avail.

"There, all done," Fuuko taped the last part of the gauze pad. A sigh escaped her lips as she admired her work. It wasn't so bad if she said so herself.

They both sat in silence in Tokiya's living room. Entering his extravagant domicile just minutes ago, Fuuko rushed to retrieve the first aid kit in a nearby bathroom as instructed by her older band mate. She then diligently cleaned the wound in hopes that her gentle fingers won't hurt the him any longer. Now that she was finished, she decided that the jamming practice should be cancelled due to the situation at hand.

"I guess we're done for today," Fuuko finally spoke as she stood to throw the blood-soaked cotton in a waste basket close by. "At this state, I don't think we'll be very productive, anyway."

Tokiya nodded in concurrence. "I'll tell Domon and Kaoru once they get here."

Grabbing her bag from the couch, Fuuko made her way towards the door. "I'll let myself out. Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"I'll be fine,"

An expression of doubt crossed Fuuko's features before flashing Tokiya a small smile. "Okay, then. I'll see you tomorrow,"

And with that, the door opened and shut closed once more.

            Tokiya was alone once more inside his glamorous residence. He heaved a sigh as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the plump headrest of his chair. Fuuko's countenance flashed before his eyes together with everything that happened hours ago. He recalled how her fingers carefully bandaged and cleaned the wound on his forehead, the way her eyes showed a flint of determination in the process of her work, and the relief on her face when she knew that everything was going to be alright.

            After years of being deprived from physical contact, the warmth of someone else somehow made him feel a sense of comfort and security. He was human after all. No one wants to be alone. After the death of his family members, he detached himself from any intimate relationship that may cross his way. He figured that if he didn't have to be so attached to anybody, then there won't be any need for tears or sorrow.

Another image of Fuuko materialized in his mind before the darkness consumed him once more.


End file.
